Yellow wood sorrel (Oxalis stricta) proves that not all dainty flowers in the garden are darlings. Also known as sour grass, juicy fruit or pickle plant, yellow wood sorrel is a quickly spreading weed that can impact sports and residential turf, commercial and residential planting beds and home vegetable gardens. It’s also a pest plant in commercial greenhouses and nurseries where, if it finds its way into plant pots, could end up in your own garden. Yellow wood sorrel is also found occurring naturally along semi-shady roadsides and hiking trials.

A native to eastern North America and also parts of Asia, Oxalis stricta is mostly an annual plant but can be a perennial in mild climates. You can find it across most of the United States, Canada, Europe and Asia, but interestingly it is not found in large numbers in the southern hemisphere.

Yellow wood sorrel certainly is one of the most invasive plants you could have pop up in your home landscape and should be removed when first spotted in your yard. Here, our weed expert describes the plant for proper identification and explains how to keep it from overtaking your beds and borders.

‘Oxalis stricta is a low growing herbaceous plant with multiple stems per plant,’ says Dr. Andrew Senesac, weed science specialist at Cornell Cooperative Extension in Riverhead, New York. ‘During spring and early summer, its bright yellow solitary flowers are very noticeable.’